


They Didn't Attack Today

by jimicus



Category: Game of Thrones (TV), and fandom references, and the books
Genre: F/M, Remembrances - Freeform, Revenge, WWI setting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-10
Updated: 2016-06-05
Packaged: 2018-06-07 13:47:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6807520
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jimicus/pseuds/jimicus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A bunch of men in WWI reminisce about their sweethearts.</p><p>-I added this as a gift to several people. The reason being is that they were good enough to gift us with their stories and nice enough to respond my asinine comments in such a lovely way. I can't thank everyone that did, but I try to. </p><p>-You gave me the writing bug, and here you are. Thanks for putting up with me!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [EmynIthilien](https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmynIthilien/gifts), [Jillypups](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jillypups/gifts), [Sarah_Black](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sarah_Black/gifts), [ShipMaester](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShipMaester/gifts), [BlueCichlid](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueCichlid/gifts), [So Many Others!](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=So+Many+Others%21).



Flick, flick, "Goddamn fucking lighter." Flick flick ..sizzle...light. "Oh now thats a pretty little thing, be quiet now and get this stove all hot and toasty." The overly large, scarred man coaxed his little flame into a welcoming lantern. It caught light and seemed to overwhelm the man.."Not that hot and toasty ...no." He put a lid over the lantern and said "Now we can be friends, I won't snuff you out and you won't burn me again." 

As shells haphazardly whizzed overhead, the large man settled into what little comfort he could manage in the swamp of a trench. 

"Oi, Clegane? That you?" As a man belly crawled inside.

"Nope...its the Kaiser and his armies. Who the fuck do you think it is Bronn?"

"I've bumped into a lot of things at night without rightly knowing. Most of them soft and willing, the others a bit more hard. Even if they had tender mouths, it aint quite the real thing! So, thought I better check."

"Just keep anything that needs bumping to yourself..."

"Oh for Chrissakes Sandor, I aint a puff anymore than you have a pretty face. I do have a tin of cigarettes that is in need of a light, however." 

"Get on with it then"

Bronn took the invitation and lit a cigarette. Looking at the tin taking a few out. He reached out to Sandor..."For the trouble...." 

"I don't smoke" 

"Looks like your charred face would disagree..." Sandor grabbed his knife as Bronn did his..."We're in this together...brother...don't be making to much out of nothin'" 

Sandor sat back at Bronns words. Taking the cigs. Bronn said..."There you go! I knew you were happy at heart! No man with an ashtray for a face would give up smokes that might get him between some kindly whores legs!"

"AND.. I suppose you both find whores pleasing!" The two men were startled at the sound of General Stannis "the Mannis" Baratheon standing over them.  
"Get those lights out before...you"

 

It was too late...

THRUM...THRUM...THRUM....

The 'old man' had been through Crimea, South Africa and now diving into a trench with his men in France, he became another in a long line of men that didn't want to be there. Pounding the lantern out as he tried to maintain some level of decorum..."they are M-Geräte howitzers, twenty miles away. They didn't see your candle. But the snipers did!" 

Bronn began, "Pardon me your grace but there aint no"...with a crack a rifle rang out. And a boy of no more than 15 fell dead into their hidey hole. Shot through the head. Stannis said.."Aint No?" looking daggers at Bronn. 

"I'll get him up for the stretcher bearers your Grace.." You are a good man Clegane. Did either of you know him? With a horrified look, Bronn said "Aye I knew him, he was a good stout lad. Pod, Podrick...he had a taste for the ladies. Or rather, they had a taste for him." 

After the stretcher took good stout Podrick away, and getting a report from the bearers. Stannis said, 

" The artillery and medical corps seemed to have switched positions in the night. No one believed that the Huns (Germans) would send Big Bertha into a medical tent. Nor would they, if they had been notified of the switch. It seems the shells from that particular spot all those nights convinced them it was still full of artillery." Stannis leant back and sighed....Clegane said, "Robert should have known better." Stannis came back..."no...this is Renly...the poor brave fool". "Aye...fool enough to let his men bravely die!" said Bronn bitterly.

"I will hear no more of this." Stated Stannis flatly. He reached into his coat pocket and took out what looked like a stop watch. "Clegane, please relight your lantern, but observe proper light discipline." Sensing that they should keep their mouths shut for once. Bronn and Clegane went about the task. Under a tarp, the little space lit up with a firelight and the two fighting men watched their commander. He sat there among them staring at the pocket watch. Bronn recalled thinking once that he would rather have a moody good commander than a happy bad one. 

Watching Stannis just stare at his pocket watch made the two other men nervous. Battle nerves come in many ways, this was just as likely as any other. "Lord Baratheon?" said Sandor..."STANNIS?"..said Bronn almost shouting. 

Clegane continued in an even tone..."that is a mighty fine pocket watch." 

"It is a pocket watch, but the only thing fine about it is the images it holds." After hearing this Sandor and Bronn looked hesitantly at each other. Was the Iron Baratheon coming undone?

"My wife, gentlemen, and my daughter. They are the only good things, in truth the best I can claim as my own in this world. I don't deserve either." 

"I wouldn't say that mi'lord, you always have me!" As soon as he said it, Bronn knew it was a mistake. 

Clegane spoke up..." I never had a wife nor a daughter. But I had me a sister named Elinor,dead now, but found me a little whelp that reminded me of 'er. We traveled together for a while."

"What was her name?" asked Stannis

"Arya, your grace." 

"Funny, my wife had a sister of the same name."

Bronn, trying to make up for past comments said..."I had me a wife once. A fine wife. A bit daft, but she was a good person. Much better than I have a claim to. If anyone in this life loved me she did! Don't know why though" 

All three men looked down and a bit saddened until....

A tumbling french girl plopped down in front of their stunned faces..

"Que faites-vous?"  
(What are you doing?)

"Lutte!"  
(Fight)


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "And who, exactly are you?"

The young woman was thin as a reed, but her sparkling green eyes were lit with passionate fury. In a heavy french accent, she repeated in English..."Fight damn you!" She grabbed at the muddy water at her feet and brought up a spear. Little more than a stick with a bayonet attached at the end. 

Snapping his beloved family back into the safety of his time piece, Stannis said..."I order you to put that DOWN" The ferocity in the last word he spoke startled the rest. The two other men as much as the woman! 

He continued in french..."We are not the enemy of Mont St. Michel, you have no enemies here."

She responded, questionigly..."Oui?" "Yes" said Stannis. "We took this ground and re-enforced it weeks ago. My name is Stannis Baratheon and I command the troops that took it. Who might you be?"

She eyed each of the men. The big ugly one looked annoyed more than anything, the commander just scowled and the last man had a roguish grin on his face. They were filthy and tired, but didn't seem to be an immediate threat. She leaned back on her feet, not quite relaxing but coming more at ease. 

The waif like woman seemed to calm slightly. "Mira. Mira Roseau" 

"So whats a fine woman like yourself end up with the rest of us trench rats?"..questioned Bronn. Breaking what had become quite an awkward silence. 

She narrowed her gaze at him, not liking that grin he had. Stannis said, "She is from the coast, only a woman born in the mud of that boggy country could know how to fall into a pit and nearly attack men three times her size without sinking in it. Is that not correct?" 

"Oui." 

Bronn cackled..."So the french ran out of men and are throwing frog women at the invaders!" 

At that, the woman took a tight hold of her spear and started a tirade in such fast and angry french it would have been a miracle if the Dauphin himself would have gotten it all! 

To put emphasis at the end she spat at Bronn and threw her make-shift spear at him, landing it between his legs. "There now! No offense intended" he chuckled. "What did I say?"

"I would suggest minding your tongue and keeping your eyes to yourself" two men and one woman looked at Sandor incredulously. 

Speaking again the Hound said, "What? Aint gotta speak frog to know what that cunt meant."

Bronn looked back at Mira with his hands raised as if in surrender, "Begging your pardon Miss. My Lollys would be ashamed of me she would" Looking a bit more serious and shamed, "I'd never want to do anything like that." 

Things calmed a bit after that. The thrum, thrum, thrum of German artillery whizzing overhead was constant but no shells landed near them. It was nearly midnight and Sandor reached into his pocket bringing out a cigarette, one that Bronn had given him. He didn't usually smoke, but he ran out of wine a few days earlier. So it was a smoke or nothing. 

"Your grace, might you hand me the lantern..." gesturing with the unlit tobacco. With a disapproving look Stannis got the lantern and handed it to Sandor. "Thank ye". He lit it and handed it back. "General..?" said Bronn, getting another cig out of his tin. Stannis handed the lantern to him. "I'll have one as well Lord Blackwater" said Stannis. "Aye, of course your grace." Handing another towards the General...Stannis scoffed..."for the Lady." 

Bronn looked over and saw Mira eyeing the tin of tobacco hungrily. "Oh yes, brave little one deserves it." said Bronn. "Then you had better offer it to her yourself. Maybe your Lollys would be proud of you for it" 

Reaching the lone cig out to her, they all saw her as Mira leaned far over and snagged the tin out of his other hand. Leaving Bronn with only the one smoke he had offered. She smiled cat-like in smug satisfaction. 

"Serves you right" said Clegane. Stannis had a not quite smile on his face. 

Bronn eyed Mira, "I bet you and Lollys were in cahoots the whole time." And for one half of a breath, Bronn thought he heard his good wife chuckle in delight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -thank you for reading, I hope you enjoy it. 
> 
> -if there is a proper name, it probably has meaning as a reference to the books but in the context of this story. If it looks like an "easter egg" of context. It probably is
> 
> -i am trying not to be vulgar but the cuss words are part of the story. I don't like when men cuss in front of women. Call me old fashioned. 
> 
> -there will be more!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tokens
> 
> -its kind of a half chapter/teaser

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -This is not the end. Characters have some more to say. But i don't know how to keep it from saying it as if this is done..its not!

It was past midnight and it seemed as if the war had gone to sleep. Stannis laid upright but his eyes were half closed. But he could still see the french woman creep almost silently toward the dozing Bronn. Stannis thought that justice had been done to Bronn for his words. He couldn't realize why Mira would want to murder him in his sleep. After the earlier spectacles she had no qualms of killing in broad daylight. As he reached for his pistol, begrudgingly waiting to do what needed to be done to protect his soldier. He saw Mira kiss the case and empty it of the remaining contents. Placing the tin on the knee of Bronn. She darted back to her place and Bronn woke up instantly. Seeing the case and taking it in his hand. He looked over at Mira and said softly, "Thank you." Mira smiled sadly and held up something tightly wrapped in an oil cloth. She took out of it a small knife and held it to her breast, over her heart. "Oui"

Stannis was wide eyed now. Understanding. The cigarettes were for Mira, but the tin meant a lot to Bronn, so she gave it back. Holding up her precious knife to show him she understood. 

Instinctively, Stannis reached into his coat and brought out his pocket watch. It held the visages of the only two people he could imagine ever loving. He opened it and saw the profile of his daughter, she had refused to have her portrait taken if it showed the pox scars she received as a baby. As if he would care if she showed them. "I am not Selyse dear one. You are more to me than I can ever show you" He said to himself. 

Next to her was the smiling, proud and beautiful woman who was his second wife. "Sansa! How could you have gone through all that, just to be saddled with a scowling man 10 years older than you. After everything? How could you still love me?" He wanted to reach behind the portraits. Just to see the black hair of his daughter and the red hair of his wife. No. He might lose the strands. "I swear upon the prayers you send to those gods of yours, I'll come back to you." 

"Oui!" said the french girl Mira. Then in heavily accented english. Looking at Stannis, who had only just realized he had been speaking out loud. She said "Por my Bien...no..." looking flustered she tried again "my Ben Jean, as well!" Mira looked tearily, clutching her knife. 

"Crikey Stannis!" said Bronn. "A poet you are!" With his tin in his hands. 

Sitting straighter than usual. Stannis shut his watch and stuffed it in his pocket. Stannis said..."None of what has happened or has been said leaves this hole! Upon pain of death! Do I make myself CLEAR"

"Perfectly clear your Grace." came the baritone, gravel voice of the scarred Clegane. "You won't leave this hole after your painful death if you hurt one hair on the Little Birds head" 

The hound and the commander looked at each other then instantly reached for pistols and drew them so quickly that the light in the lantern fluttered. Drawing on each other, hammers cocked, each ready to kill and die....

Bronn and Mira were startled into each others arms...

"Qu'est-ce qui se passe?" Mira whispered to Bronn. 

"Nothing good darling. Nothing Good"


	4. No one ever knew

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Its going to be sad.

A raven haired woman was looking at the stone. Her baby at her bossom....her other children playing happily around her. She read the inscription....

"On this day. November 8, 1918. King Stannis Baratheon lead two English men and and one French woman in a daring raid against overwhelming odds." 

There was a ruckus...

"All of you be quiet! These are men who gave their lives for you...Jon, control your children!" 

Shushed more so from their mothers voice than anything else. Sansa, Lady Sansa hefted her baby higher on her hip. 

"Before learning of his brothers death..Stannis lead a charge against what was meant to be an attack to break British lines."

Sansa cooed to her baby. 

"Lord Bronn of the Blackwater, Lord Sandor of House Clegane, Lady Mira of the Greywater and King Stannis of Westeros lead the charge to deter the German the attack."

"May all their troubles be behind them and long shall their triumph resound." 

Sansa whispered to the bright eyed baby..."your great grandfather was a hero." She smiled and the baby just looked at her and laughed. 

Her husband, Jon Snow, "Sansa there is trouble on the Wall...Satin radioed me...I have to leave" She was about to cry when she handed him a watch. "This was my grandfathers, remember me Jon Snow...." He took it and said..."You put your hair in here..."

"Remember me Jon Snow!" 

After two years fighting at the Wall, Jon found himself in a hidey hole with a mercenary, a scarred man and a vicious little woman. The only comfort he had was from gazing at his wife and children. In the watch she gave him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the support. I hope you like the end.
> 
> The "Wall" I'm referring to at the end is the Berlin Wall. After a non-nuclear exchange between NATO and Warsaw Pact nations. A friend mentioned that it may not have been clear.


End file.
